Water heater



DOVVD H. W. O

Aug., 23, 1927.

'ATER HEATER Filed [.ay 25, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1,639,748 Aug. 23, H. W. ovDOWD WATER HEATER Filed May 25, 1924 3 Sheets-SheetI 2 Illlmllllmll INVENTOR 1,639,748 Aug, 23, H. W. OfDOWD WATER HEATER Filed May 23, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

HENRY W. ODOWD, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AESSIGN'OR, BY MESN'E .ASSIGN- MENTs, To sTANDAaD GAs EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, or DALTmoml, LAND, A coaroaATIoN or MARYLAND.

' WATER HEATER.

Application led Hay 23, 1924. Serial No. 715,285.

r1`his invention relates to water heaters,

and While as to some of its features it may be embodied in constructions adapted for various purposes, it is more particularly applicable to water heaters of the circulating type.

The general objects of the Invention are to provide a water heater -which shall be simple, compact, and economical in construction, and highly elicient in operation, and whose parts shall be readily accessible, and easily removable when necessary for purposes of cleaning, repair or replacement, etc. These and other objects'will in part be o bvious and in part be more fully set forth 1n the following description.

The invention consists in the novel parts, combinations, and features o construction herein shown and described.

vOf the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view, parts being broken away, of a water heater constructedv in accordance with the invention, the doors of the combustion chamber being shown as open,

i to expose the removable water circulating coil which constitutes an important feature;

Fig. 2 is a horziontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail in cross section, showing a vent for the escape of the waste products from the combustion chamber;

Fig. 4 is a detail in cross section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and showingthe improved connection of the water circulating coil to the side of the storage tank;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing in particular the gas burner unit associated with the combustion chamber;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view mainly in vertical cross section, of the as burner unit;

Fig. 7 is a section on t e line 7--7 of Fig. 6;

F Fig. 8 is a view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig.,9 is a plan view of a fragment of the floor plate of the combustion chamber;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in s ection, of a large size water heater constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10;

12 is a section taken on the line 12-12 i of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line 18-13 of F1g.\12.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 will first be described.

is therein shown, the Water heater comprlses a storage tank 1, preferably of cylindrical sha e. The cold water is supplied to the tank t rough a pipe 2 entering at its lower portion, and the heated water is drawn off from the tank thro h a discharge pipe 3 at the top. The tank 1s supported upon a base or stand 4 having conventional legs 5, two of which are shown in Fig. 1.

Surrounding the tank is an insulating 1acket formed by a sheet metal casing 6, see Fig. 5, and an inner casing 7 made of some suitable heat resisting material, as asbestos. As shown, the insulating jacket is spaced from the Water tank by means of channel irons 8, the air space therebetween affording an additional insulating medium which diminishes the loss of heat due to radiation. Surmounting and spaced from the top of the tank isl a cover plate 9, the intervenin space thus provided forming a liue 10 for tie passage of the heated products of combustion issuing from the combustion chamber in a manner presently to be described, the said products finally escaping through a pipe 11 rising from the cover plate.

The insulating jacket is formed with a recess or space at one side, see Figs. 1, 2 and 5, in which recess is located a cast-iron fire-box 12 presenting a back wall 13 arranged in immediate contact with the side of the tank from top to bottom, side walls 14 Withv anges 15, a bottom wall or oor plate'l, and a top wall 17, the latter being formed with vent openings 47 communicating directly with the Hue space 10 (see Figs. 1 and 3). To permit ease of access to the interior heating or combustion chamber, the front wall of the fire-box is preferably composed of swinging doors 18, 18, hin ed to the` flanges and which are so :forme that when in closed position they preserve the cylindrical contour of the outslde casing 6. It will thus be seen that the heating or combustion chamber is housed completely within the recess of the insulatin Jacket, which feature is not only desirable or the sake of economy form to the outline of the tank and having Y ples 24 screwed or otherwise inserted into front and rear portions 2O and 21 connecte at opposite ends of the coil by double-branch elbow joints 22 to hollow flat-faced rlnglike terminals 23 (see particlularly Fig. 4). These coil terminals 23 are fitted over nipthe side of the storage tank, said nipples being formed with lateral orifices 25 which establish communication vbetween the internal passages or bores 26 of the nip les and the annular chambers 27 of the coil terminals, the latter, as will be noted, having radial stem portions 28 which establish com- 'munication between the annular chambers 27 and the elbow joints 22. The coil terminals are held in place upon the ni ples by means of clampin nuts 29 which c amp the terminals tightly Eetween them and annular flanges 30 nea-r the inner ends of the nipples, thecontactingfaces of the partsbeingground or machined to make Huid-tight jolnts. It will now be evident that, when it is desired to remove the water circulating coil for any reason, it is simply necessary to unscrew the clamping nuts 29 from the nip les 24, when the terminals 23, may be slipped off the ni ples and the entire coil removed lateral y through the front of the heating chamber in a straight forward direction without endwise displacement. Similarly, in replacing the coil or substituting a new one, it is only necessary to slip the terminals over the nipples and screw up the clamping nuts. The i connecting means, besides permitting the easy and quick removal of thelwater heating chamber.

coil, are also useful in enabling the lpoil to be enclosed within the fire-box (which is comparatively shallow), and moreover ,provide for the direct connection of the coil to the side of the tank from within the heating By reason of this latter capability, the water is subjected to the direct heat within the combustion lchamber throughout its circulation front and to thee l storage tank. As before stated, the waterf while in the tank also absorbs heat radiated'j 'A' from the combustion chamber owing'to the contact existin between the fire-box and the sideofthe ta i A Bunsen burner 31 for heating the water as it passes through the water, circulatin j" coil is located below the fioor *plate 16 o the combustion chamber and, like the coil, is

curved longitudinally to conform to the shape of the tank, see Fig. 5. The burner is equipped with they customary mixing tube 32 rovided with a plate 33 ,which rests on a ange 34 of a supporting 'bracket 35 secured to and dependlng from lthe base or stand 4. -The plate 33 is detachably secured to the liange 34 by screws 36, which'thus permit the mixing tube 32 to be removed, when desired. The mixing tube is provided with an upstanding tubular portion 37 having an integral flange 38, andthe burner 31 is provided with a depending tubular portion 39vfitted snugly over the portion 37 and resting upon the flangev 38, see Figs. 1 and 5. The burner 31, like the mixing tube 32, can thus be readily removed, when desired. The

' floor plate 16 is also removable, being looseseated upon side flanges 40 and end anges 41 at the bottom of the lire-box 12. In removing the burner, thefloor plate is iirst lifted outof the fire-box and the burner Ehen liftedup through the bottom of the By reference to Fi 6 in particular, lit will be noted that t e floor plate 16 is formed with a series ofvsecondary air discharge nozzles 42 having their tapered'openings arranged above and in centered relation to the burner orifices 43, so that when the burner is lighted, the llame jets are caused to project upwardly through the discharge nozzles, the idea being to provide fdr the proper entrainment of secondary air directly by the ame jets. As a matter of fact,.the ioor plate, as shown, is arranged to exclude air from the combustion chamber except through its vdischarge nozzles, and hence no air is allowed to enter the combustion chamber except that which is en- 4 trained by the flame jets in support of combustion, thus insuring the maximum heatparatus as a whole. It may be noted that in practice the operation of the burner will e controlled by a thermostatic element sur- -rounded by the cold water pipe 2, but as such element forms no part of the present invention, it has not been shown herein. A permanent pilot burner 44 is associated with the Bunsen burner to light it whenever the gas is turned on.

Bailely plates 45 are cast on the back wall 13 of the lire-box 12 and similar plates 46 on the doors 18, 18, these baile plates being longitudinally disposed between the convolutions of the water circulating coil, so that the heated roducts of combustion are directed lll) upwar `y in a tortuous path along each vertical unbroken passage between the two coil portions for the burner flames. In thls Way, the heat energy of the products of combustion is utilized to the fullest extent, the flue space at the top of the tank alfordi'nga further source of heat for the water within the tank.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1() to 13, the invention has been shown as applied to a storage tank of greater height than t-hat of the combustion chamber, it being the purpose to employ a combustion chamber and water circulating coil of standard size for all sizes of tanks. In the present instance, the lire-box 12 is recisely the same responding recess formed in the insulating jacket and is arranged with its rear wall in contact with the side of the tank so as to radiate the heat of the ascending products of combustion directly to the tank. The water circulating coil is also precisely the saine as before, except that, in this instance, it is connected to the upper portion of the tank by means oit an extension pipe or riser 51 contained within the due section 50, 1t being pointed out that the coil is connected directly to the lower portion of the tank 1n 'the same way as before. 'lhe extension pipe 51, like the coil, is provided at its opposite ends with hollow dat-faced rind-like terminals 52 and 53. The upper termlnal 52 (Fig. 11) is itted over a nipple 5t screwed into the tank and is held in place thereon by a clamping nut 55, these parts being like the coil coupling element-s 23, 24 and 29 shown .in Fig. 4. rlhe lower pipe terminal 53 and the upper coil terminal 23 (Fig. 13) are both fitted over a blind or connectin having` a central bore or cham er 57 and formed vwith two sets of lateral orifices 58 and 59, the former registering with the annular chamber 27 of the coil terminal 23, and the latter registering with the annular chamber 60 of the pipe terminal 53. A nut 6l, screwed to the front end of the nipple 56, closes the chamber 57 at the front and serves to clamp the parts together in a fluidtight manner up against an annular flange 62 on the rear end of the nipple. It will be seen, therefore that the water circulating coil 'may still be removedy from the front of the combustion chamber with the same ease and facility as before, it being merely necessary to unscrew the clamping nut 29 at the bottom and the clamping nut 61 at the top, when the coil terminals may be slipped olf their respective nipples to detach the coil. It will also be seen that, due to the location of the extension pipe 51 .in the flue section 50, the water absorbs heat throughout its cirnipple 56 culation from and to the storage tank, bein heated directly by the burner flames whi e` passing through the coil and by the hot products of combustion while passing through the extension pipe. Hence, in both embodiments, there is provided a Water circulatingv pipe system completely enclosed within a stance, it is not essential that the heatingY chamber be a combustion chamber, as the i invention contemplates the employment of heating units other than gas burners and such for example as electrical appliances. These and various other modilications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

I iclaim:

1. A Water heater including in combination a cylindrical storage tank, a cylindrical casing surrounding and spaced from said tank and formed 1n one side with a recess constituting a shallow segmentallyfshaped combustion chamber, a cover for said cham-s ber forming a curved continuation of the casing, a water circulating coil arranged in said chamber and contained Wholly Within the cylindrical contour of the casing and communicating at its ends with the interior of the tank, and means for generating heat in said chamber.

2. A water heater including in combination a cylindrical storage tank, a cylindrical casing surrounding and spaced from said tank, and formed in one side with Va recess constituting a shallow segmentally-shaped combustion chamber, a cover for said chamber forming a curved continuation of the casing, a Water circulating coil arranged in said chamber and communicating at its opposite ends with the interior of the tank, said coil being curved to conform to the outline of the tank and to theV contour of the cover so as 'to be contained wholly Within the cylindrical contour of the casing, and means for generating heat in said chamber.

3. A water heater including in combination a storage tank, a casing surrounding the tank and formed in one side with a recess constituting a shallow combustion chamber, a movable cover plate for said recess, a water circulating coil arranged in said casing, and

means Vfor detachably connecting sal coil with the tank, said means including a pair the floor of said chamber and formed with a of hollow nipples communicating with the series of' secondary air discharge openings,

interior of the tank and projecting horizonand a Bunsen burner supported beloivs7 the s tally from the side of the same, hollow, coil floor plate and 'having its gas orifices arterminals fitted over'thenipples and comranged to project the flame jets upwardly. municating with the interior of the same, through the secondary air discharge open- A and releasable means for holding the parts ings. f together in fluid tight condition; whereby the 7. A- water heater includingl in combinacoil may be removed from the combustion tion a storage tank, a casing surrounding chamber by a straight yhorizontal direct said tank and formed with a recess therein, movement.' l said,l recess constituting a shallow combus- 4.1A water heater including in combination chamber, a movable cover forlsaid recess tion a storage tank, a casing surroundingv substantially flush with and forming part said tank and formed with a recess therein, of said casing, awater circulating coil arA said recess constituting a shallow combustion \-ranged in said chamber and detachably conchamber, a cover for said chamber substannected'to the tank so as to be removable lati v tially fiush with yand forming part of said erally from the front of theheating chamber,

casing, a water circulating coil arranged in a floor plate for the combustion chamber aland curved to conform with said chamber so removable from the front thereof and Iand connected to the tank at its opposite formed with a series ofsecondary air disl ends, a burner located at the lower end ofA charge openings and a Bunsen burner supthe combustion chamber for heating said ported below the floor plate and having its coil, and baille plates arranged insaid chamgas orifices arranged to direct the flame jets ber between the convolutions of saidtcoil. upwardly through the secondary aix: dis- 5. A water heater including in combinacharge openings, said burner being likewise tion a storage tank, a casing surrounding removablefrom the front of the combustion said tank and formed with a recess therein, chamber after the removal of the floor plate. said recess constituting a shallow combustion chamber, a cover for said chamber subtion a. storage tank, a, casing surrounding 8. A water heater including in combina-A stantially iush with and forming part of said tank and formedwith a recess therein, l

said casing, a water circulating coil arranged said recess constituting a shallow combustion in and curved to conforml with said chamber chamber, a movable cover for saidrecess sub"- and connected to the tank at its opposite stantially flush, with and forming part of ends, a burner located at the lower end of ,said casing, a water circulating coil arranged.- the combustion'chamber for heating said coil, in said chamber, and means for detachably and baffle plates arranged on the front and connecting said coil to the tank, the said rear walls of said chamber between the con- 'means including a pair of flat nipples comvoliitions of said coil and with a vertical municating with the tank and having lateral space between the front and rear plates. orifices, hollow fiat ring-like coil terminals 6. A water heater including in combinafitted over said nipples and communicating tioh a storage tank, a casing surrounding with the lateral orifices, and clamping nuts said tank and formed with a recess therein, screwed to the outer ends of the nipples for said recess constitutinga shallow combustion holding the parts together in a fluid-tight chamber, a cover for said chamber substancondition. tially fiush with and forming part of said In testimony whereof, I have affixed my casing,a Water circulating coil arranged in signature hereto. said chamber and connected to the tank at its opposite ends, a burner' plate lforming HENRY W. ODOWD. 

